1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ribbon cartridge and a ribbon handling method, and more particularly to an improved ribbon cartridge for storing an endless ribbon band prior to the use of the ribbon in a utilization device, the cartridge serving as a mount and a guide for the ribbon during its employment in the device. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a cartridge for a type ribbon usable in a printer and a method of handling the ribbon which result in (a) convenient storage of the ribbon prior to its use in the printer and (b) easy loading of the ribbon into the printer. Additionally, the cartridge may also (c) limit movement of the ribbon to a single direction and (d) re-ink the ribbon during its use in the printer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ribbon cartridges, in general, are well-known and include a wide-variety of type-ribbon cartridge usable in printers. Type-ribbon cartridges are used because of the convenience they offer. A well-designed type-ribbon cartridge permits an operator to easily, and quickly load into a printer a new ribbon while preventing the operator's coming in contact with the ribbon to obviate the spreading of ink or other printing media on the hands and clothing of the operator. Most well-known cartridges also serve a guiding and mounting function for the ribbon once it has been loaded into the printer and during its use therein.
One general category of cartridge utilizes an elongated, non-continuous ribbon band. Specifically, the elongated ribbon band is loaded as by coiling into the cartridge, which is then closed. A free end of the ribbon is exposed exteriorly of the cartridge. At the time of mounting the cartridge to the printer, this free ribbon end is engaged by a take-up mechanism within the printer. Often such engagement is accomplished by a ring or other coupling device mounted to the free ribbon end which is engaged by a hook or the like in the take-up mechanism. The cartridge is then moved away from the now engaged end to a point in the printer where the cartridge is mounted. This movement withdraws ribbon from the coil in the cartridge. After mounting of the cartridge in the printer, it serves as a guide for and supply of the ribbon in conjunction with other guides within the printer.
Many such cartridges permit the use of the ribbon contained therein only once. That is, after the ribbon has been pulled once through the printer, it is "used up". The entire cartridge/ribbon combination must then be replaced. In other cartridges of this type the ribbon contains sufficient ink to permit more than one use thereof in the printer. Here, it is usually the case that the take-up mechanism in the printer includes a take-up reel which pulls the ribbon from the cartridge. The cartridge and the take-up reel are either physically reversed or their directions of rotation are reversed so that the cartridge becomes the take-up reel and ribbon is rewound thereon. Reversal of the reel and the cartridge or the rewinding of the ribbon are somewhat inconvenient.
Another type of ribbon cartridge which is becoming widely used is one utilizing an endless band of type ribbon band. Such a band has no free end. Serial portions of the ribbon leave the cartridge, are presented to a printing mechanism in the printer, and then re-enter the cartridge. One well-known type of such a cartridge contains an extremely long ribbon band within the cartridge. The major portion of the ribbon is at all times contained with a "stuffing" unit which maintains the ribbon therein in a compact, dense convoluted or sinuous mass within a storage chamber. Such cartridges are often large and unwieldly, occupying a large space in the printer and generally permit only one passage or a predetermined limited number of passages, of the ribbon through the printer, after which the entire cartridge must be discarded and a new one substituted therefor. Moreover, in this type of cartridge, replacement of the ribbon in order to save money is quite difficult inasmuch as an extremely long portion thereof is normally contained in quite compact form in the convolute within the storage chamber. It is impossible, or nearly so, for the average user to restuff ribbon into the storage chamber.